An action might generate a token, like focus, target lock, or evade.

Using or Spending a token is not an action, though.

An action is either listed on the ship's Action Bar, or else is labeled with "Action:" or otherwise identified as an Action in its description.

Forgive me if this has already been addressed.  My question is what is, if any, the order you need to perform a free action?  The question stems from the errata (ver. 1.0 -- Updated 10/23/2012) for the upgrade, Expert Handling, which now states, "Action: Perform a free barrel roll action.  If you do not have [Barrel Roll] action icon, receive 1 stress token.  You may remove 1 enemy target lock from your ship."

If you are able to chose the order in which you perform actions, I believe you may be able to perform your normal action before you perform any free action, thus retaining the former if the free action results in gaining a stress token.

SteveSpikes said:

I'm not sure what your question is here.  Note that Expert Handling itself is an action (and would thus be your normal action to use it).  As a part of that action, you will perform a free barrel roll action.

dbmeboy said:

No worries at all.  I try not to take what anyone, including myself, says in text too seriously.  I find what we say is often misunderstood or communicated poorly.  I can't tell you how many times I've reread my own words and found this to be the case.  This thread is a solid example.  Regardless, it sounds like we're of a similar mind when it comes to using correct language. 

Thanks again for the help.

Ok, thanks for the clarification! Been playing that wrong since the start. 

Follow up question- by that line of thinking, Dreis could give his Focus token to a ship that'd hit an asteroid, yes? And they could then use it? Same with Vander and his Target Locks? 

Cid_MCDP said:

Correct.  Also a ship with a stress token.

dbmeboy said:

So Garven's ability says "…you may place that token on any other friendly ship", and Dutch's ability says "The chosen ship may immediately acquire a target lock." Because neither requires the target ship to perform an action, any ship can get the benefit. 

But compare that to the text of Squad Leader: "That ship may immediately perform one free action." (Lando works like Squad Leader.) So you can, for instance, use Squad Leader to direct a TIE overlapping an asteroid to Barrel Roll away from--but you couldn't use Squad Leader on a ship with a stress token. 

Gotcha. 

My local club ran a small tournament back in early November and this situation came up. I think my TO got it wrong, or maybe I misunderstood his ruling/ explanation, but the long story short was I've had it wrong in my head ever since. 

Thanks for the clarifications, y'all! I appreciate it!